All it took was some credentials, a bio, & a picture of a logo.

That’s how I started my Twitter account.

This was a turning point in some ways. I saw Twitter as a place where heated debates, political scandals, & the occasional fan art was shared.

It never would've occured to me the benefits of having a Twitter account.

A benefit that came to me from listening to well-versed YouTube creators & a desire to seek out a path similar to what they created.

However, this wasn't always the case.

I briefly mentioned in my first newsletter that I had visions of starting out in YouTube. Soon the idea of editing, scripting, & post-production made me see YouTube as a platform for the most experience & the most tenacious of dreamers.

I was neither.

So what, specifically, led me to join Twitter?

It all came down to writing.

The Foundation of Writing

Writing is a transformative craft.

It can capture & preserve ideas, thoughts, & teachings from the word of mouth into a temporary channel - tablets, scrolls, papyrus.

And as time went on, the channel gained a greater longevity & a greater outreach - telephone lines, instant messaging, world wide web.

Writing is useful through analog. Writing is transformative as digital.

I refer both ways in present tense because I see the value in handwriting in a world that's breaking the limits of the digital norm. It has become engraved in our nature to write by hand - journaling, grocery lists, sharing numbers - as much as sleeping at night & living in communities is natural.

And writing doesn’t simply have a horizontal reach, but a vertical reach as well.

Which I mean there are many areas of writing:

• Scripting

• Academic

• Copywriting

• Ghostwriting

• Content Writing

I'll be focusing more on the latter form, as it's what led me to enter the Twitter sign-up sheet.

The Support of Social Platform

This all came down to what my experience & thoughts on social media (or platforms I later realized) were.

It was a slightly negative view.

In short, I saw it as a time-wasting, shiny-object syndrome, glorified, vain, & irrelevant application to have.

Maybe it was a generally negative view.

While an exaggeration, I did recognize the benefits of keeping up with family members & being inspired.

I started on Facebook before the time of Meta, where it was simply posting, sharing, & chatting. I didn't do much there & I soon saw it becoming old news when new social apps started to come out.

Snapchat, tried it but it didn't click with me.

Instagram, started, opened a 2nd account for graphic design, but it's been stagnant throughout these years.

TikTok.

No, just no.

YouTube, a desired place that's become a goal to cross at a later time.

But that's where I got the idea of Twitter & thought,

‘Worse case is that it’ll be like Snapchat & I can try out writing in the YT Community tab.’

Thankfully, it became like Facebook & so much more.

The Finishing Touches of Growth

If Facebook was the neighborhood to talk with people you know, Twitter was the city to meet new people & try out new ideas.

I was the new kid entering the Big City to make a name for himself.

I settled into my profile with a standard logo of my name, a brief intro in the bio, & a banner that matched the aesthetic.

And I wrote my first Tweet.

Did I come in swinging a home run?

Nope.

I've swung many misses that I was close to benching myself.

Thankfully, I continue onward. I engaged with familiar faces from YouTube & met new creators.

Some included Gagan & Marcel, the latter invited me & many other creators to join the Legends Community to support & connect as we build on Twitter.

After a while, it became natural to show up each day, write about one of my interests, & learn from others.

During the past 4.5 months, I've revamped my bio/PFP, faced slumps that made me nearly quit, & have genuine conversations that revealed something new about myself.

One of my desires when I entered was to make money. I understood that it'll take a while for it to actually happen. Thankfully, being on Twitter made it clear why I truly wanted to be on here.

I want to build something that is my own, to be surrounded by others with dreams for the future, and to make a living out of learning & creating.

I may not be the first digital pioneer, but I'll be the one who documents & shares what I'm doing for others to follow during this golden time to explore online.

Catch-Up

And now, we're here.

Cultivating an online brand, expanding into websites & newsletters, & creating 2 products that I'll be sharing soon.

This was definitely not how I planned to start, but I'm glad that I started.

And I encourage you to start as well.

Now there's more benefits than opposition to start putting yourself out there & learn as you're experiencing it first-hand.

I still stand by starting out in writing to help capture your thought-process, clearly share to others, & understand the mechanics into creating online.

And to always seek a path through the digital frontier.

Weekly Findings

Keep Going - Austin Kleon

And now we've reached the finale of Kleon’s trilogy.

Starting out through inspiration, continuing to execution, and finishing with consistency.

"Keep Going" offers a refreshing perspective on how to stay creative, motivated, and resilient in a world filled with distractions and setbacks.

Klein shares invaluable advice and practical strategies for overcoming creative blocks, combating self-doubt, and embracing the journey of artistic pursuits.

One notable example I enjoyed was the analogy to the movie, “Groundhog Day.”

I was surprised the deep thematic meaning behind the film & that many religious & philosophical leaders use it as a reference on living life daily.

The question it presents is, how would we live our life if it repeated daily?

Relying on a ‘Groundhog Day,’ a day where our actions will look the same throughout the year, helps to live a life we truly want to live.

Of course not everyday will be the same with duties & responsibilities, but having the baseline be one we enjoy doing helps when we come across days where we can be content without distractions or duties.

There's an emphasis on the importance of play, rest, and solitude in nurturing creativity and maintaining one's sanity in an increasingly hectic world.

With its blend of personal anecdotes, thought-provoking quotes, and practical exercises, "Keep Going" serves as a much-needed guide for anyone seeking to maintain their creative spirit and thrive in their creative endeavors.

Change Your Life - Kurzgesagt

I was reminded of the video on habits & routines by a knowledgeable YT channel, Kurzgesagt.

A channel that thrives to share knowledge in fun, engaging ways is an encouragement to discover new things.

And no such video accomplishes it as their take on habits and routines, Change Your Life - One Tiny Step at a Time.

The video, with its captivating animation and engaging narration, emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations and breaking down extreme tasks into manageable actions.

In then jungles of life, carving a path through it requires routines that'll keep you on that path.

When first starting out, it seems challenging & makes us take the path of least resistance - instant gratification.

Coming down to a battle between the logical routines for success & the impulsive feeling for rewards.

But understanding the strengths of both coming together can lead to breakthroughs to form habits.

Convincing our brain through engaging actions, or clear triggers, to start in a specific context day by day will make it so that's a natural daily occurrence.

Making the progress enjoyable is easier to form the habit rather than enjoying the reward at the end.

With a focus on progress rather than perfection, meaningful change is a result of consistent effort and perseverance.

A daily reminder to love the journey, not just the destination.

HOW TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE - Alex Hormozi

Whenever I hear the term ‘entrepreneur,’ Alex Hormozi is the face that comes to mind.

Starting out in fitness, he's now a business man who share the insights on marketing, sales, & other topics of success.

In his latest video as of now, HOW TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE (and get wealthy too), shared insights on 3 paths presented to everyone.

• Path of the Creator

• Path of the Entrepreneur

• Path of the Hybrid

Each path touches on the interests & actions one desires to do for their lives & the season they’re in.

Whether it's to create products & services, to make money & expand, or both.

Hormozi elaborates how it'll look like in scenarios. Such as the hybrid path where they want to focus on creating & be near the top of a business. They would hire an experienced, trusted, driven individual who enjoys running a business to handle everything from the top.

He then goes on to share 3 skills to have:

• Product

• Marketing

• Sales

Having something to market & sell is crucial in the long-term, especially when the product is crucial.

That's why it's important to learn how to build quality products, understand the psychology of marketing, & the ways of sales.

This framework has encouraged me to start creating products this month & to continue building what I love.

I believe this one is the longest newsletter I've written so far.

I'm glad for you to take the time to read & to learn something new this week.

Stick around for more insights & findings, feel free to reach out anyway you like, & keep on discovering.

Have a blessed day! 🙏